Adventures in Pokeshipping
by MyxShipperxHeart
Summary: This will be a drabble collection of one shots featuring none other than Ash and Misty. Ratings and chapters will vary.
1. Five More Minutes

**A/N** : I'm starting this off with a fic about a shopping trip that Misty drags Ash to go on with her. And it's not exactly on the top of his to-do list, let's just say. He's basically what I envision every guy to be like when bargain hunting with their girlfriend. Except this guy happens to be the Pokémon Master.

Title: Five More Minutes

* * *

It was every man's nightmare.

Sitting outside of the dressing rooms that seemed to swallow up their girlfriends or wives for hours on end, just because they couldn't decide on one outfit. And it was also every man seen that day who trailed behind them, hanging their head while their arms suffered the weight of the bags they carried. But it was one male in specific who currently experienced these events firsthand, sitting in the most uncomfortable chair on _planet earth_. But the chair was always uncomfortable. And that's exactly where Ash found himself that day; confined to a chair with nothing to do while he waited on the only person who could ever drag him to do this in the first place. He didn't understand how it could possibly take as long as it did, either. People from the store even tended to the rooms and fetched different outfits, sometimes even the same one! But Misty explained to him once that sometimes the sizes didn't always fit right and that it was part of how everything worked. Still, it made no sense to him. Especially when people in crowds of around twenty populated the area he just had to be at. Nothing could have prepared him for the groups of shoppers who all seemed to travel in pairs, rifiling through every single clothing rack until something caught their attention. The mind numbing sound of metal scraping against metal from the hangers didn't help anything either. Nor was the music that clashed horribly against it. And then there was the whole mess of shoes that was another nightmare in itself.

To put it simply, Ash Ketchum was in hell.

Whenever he needed something different to wear, he was always in and out of the store in five minutes. Ten tops. And none of his clothes would ever be referred to as ' _outfits_ ' either. Just pants and shirts. Maybe a jacket. Shoes if required, but that was hardly ever the case. One pair was enough to last him till the next. That's it. Simple enough. Unlike Misty, who had to have a pair to mix and match with everything she owned. He longed for the days when such a notion wasn't as important to the redhead. He remembered when a quick pickup of jeans and a shirt was all it took to satisfy her retail needs, much like his own. But some of that changed as the years wore on. What a difference time could make. Not that he was bothered by it, though. The choices itself would be the last thing that mattered to Ash; it was only the lengthy journey she insisted that he be apart of to obtain these items that he was less than thrilled about. No matter what it was for. But, alas, he was lost to the concept of shopping entirely and would just have to live with it. He loathed the fact that he left Pikachu behind that day as well. At least then he wouldn't have to be stuck in the middle of all of this by himself.

It was then Misty herself suddenly emerged from the back. Ash's hopes soared that she was finally finished, but only to have them extinguished when she was dressed in different clothing.

Again.

"Alright, Ash, what do you think of this?" she asked him, twirling once in a simple light blue dress -the color likely having to do with water, Ash assumed- that tied behind her neck and ended at her fingertips. It was flattering on her enough with how it contrasted against her fiery red locks and pale complexion. And on any other occasion, he would have appreciated such an alluring sight, but right now he would have done anything to get out of there.

"I love it." came his automatic response. But Misty quickly narrowed her gaze to him in a squint.

"That's what you said about the last three I tried on."

"I love them too?" Ash questioned pathetically with a hopeful set of eyes in her direction. But she extinguished that as well when she expressed a look that saw right through it.

"Nice try, Ash. But I'm going to need an honest opinion before we can leave."

"Is that all?" he blinked, then promptly sat up in his chair. "In that case... I really think this is the best one of them all. Really. It's a winner. That's definitely the one we should go with."

Misty shook her head and ducked it, glancing down at herself. "Should have known _that_ was coming. But again, nice try."

Ash dropped his head in defeat, dramatically letting his arms and legs go limp.

"Be serious, will you? I'm going as fast as I can. And it isn't everyday I can find stuff like this. Not at this price, anyway..." she mumbled in distraction toward the end of her sentence upon picking up the tag to check the cost. But Ash just swung his gaze back to his girlfriend, watching her adjust the dress and pivot like the millions of other times that he's seen her do this before. And the more he watched her, the more he realized how little he actually owned himself.

"Your clothes are gonna suffocate mine right out of the closet..."

Misty lifted her head back up at this and pursed her lips. "Stop exaggerating. You always say that, and there's no reason to."

"Cause they will. I can hear them at night screaming for help."

"Now you're just being ridiculous."

"I can't help it. My brain cells are dying off one by one out here!" Ash exclaimed stressfully.

The female rolled her eyes away from his view. He was almost the equivalent of a fussing baby, squirming with impatience and crying every second. He looked like he was about to fall asleep or start screaming. Which, admittedly, wasn't that different from any department store they've ever been to. It was the same thing everytime; Ash would moan and complain about the sweet time it took for Misty to figure out what she wanted. And their adult years were no exception, but she knew what she was signing up for. Especially because of _who_ it was for. There were some things about Ash that would just never change, and this would always be one of them. No matter what. Sitting there, in a grumpy huff, bored out of his mind.

It was cute.

"Don't get me started on anything that has to do with your brain." Misty reached over and pinched his cheek with a smirk, which Ash only responded to by pretending to bite at her fingers.

She then retracted her hand and grinned, straightening herself back up. "It still amazes me how you're able to endure countless hours of paperwork and pokemon battles, yet one simple shopping trip is enough to send the pokemon master _himself_ to the madhouse."

Her words were low and quiet, meant only for him to hear. And Ash lifted his head up at her with a smirk of his own to let her know that he did; The famous title brought him a sense of what Misty called 'endearing shyness' after a few years, and he wasn't so eager to put himself in the spotlight after a while. And he proceeded to be a shining example of it by the way he wore a pair of sunglasses and some baseball hat that day. Something of which was she was utterly powerless at preventing, despite her best efforts.

"There's nothing simple about it..." he grumbled a moment later. But Misty only gave a playful tug on the bill of his hat, then took a few steps back and resumed fidgeting with the dress again.

"I just need a little more time to pick something out, that's all."

"They're all great, Misty, really, but if you love me at all, you'll decide on something so we can leave. I'll buy you the whole store if I have to. Just please hurry up so we can get outta here." Ash tilted back his head at her, and she had to force back a laugh at how much he sounded like his old self when he whined like that.

"Oh, Ash, it hasn't been that long. And I think I like this one, but I'm not too sure.."

She ignored the actual whine that followed her statement.

"It's important. This is one of the biggest sales they've ever had here, and I need something different than what I've got back at home."

Ash was about to make the argument that she had more clothes than the store did, but was stopped before he could start.

"Just five more minutes. I only have to try on a couple others." and with that, she disappeared from sight.

Ash just baried his head into his hands for the time being and groaned. That's what she said an hour ago; Five more minutes. There's no such thing as just _five more minutes_. That, however, was something Ash did have an inclination of. If it was one thing he knew about women, which was hardly anything at all, it's that five minutes never actually _meant_ five minutes. What they really mean when they say that is, 'wait until I'm finished, no matter how long that is'. Those were the three little words to ever truly fear as a man.

But he did his best to try and carry on through it. Ash started by picking up a magazine that sat on a small table next to him, beginning to flip through it. Pokemon were splashed across most of the pages, and tiny Slowpoke sat in the corners next to the page number. Others had games that were obviously completed by a kid who had an overzealous use of the crayon, to which Ash grunted in amusement at. Then there were articles about strategies when fighting in pokemon battles and things of that nature. But he started losing interest by the time he reached the part about beauty tips and cosmetics, and set the issue back down.

One quick sweep of the area a moment later told him that he would probably be here awhile as well. People seemed to just keep filing in the place more than out of it, gathering in clusters at one corner or another. Some of them even pulled out their pokemon, he noticed. He watched a variation of flying types zoom across the store while they carried some small item for whoever sent them for it. There was a Ledyba and Misdreavus in particular that were literally arguing in midair over a pair of stretch pants, each of them tugging on one end in fierce determination. Their agitated trainers could also be seen at the bottom as they bickered back and forth, while ordering for the other to recall their pokemon. Ash just dipped his head for a moment and shook it, unable to believe how out of hand everything was getting.

He drew in a breath in the next moment and partially crossed one leg over the other by resting his ankle on his knee. That's when he spotted another guy from behind his sunglasses posed in a similar fashion, looking just as miserable as Ash felt. He nodded toward the distressed male sitting a few spaces away from him.

"You too?"

The stranger nodded and Ash sympathized. "Girlfriend?"

He hesitated before appearing twice as uncomfortable as before. "Mother."

Ash's eyes nearly popped out of his head before he just nodded and averted his gaze. The young man then pulled down his hat and sat down even further in his chair. Now _that_ guy was in hell. Ash tried to fathom what shopping with his own mother would be like, but decided not to stretch his imagination that far and much preferred the woman he came with instead.

Even if she was taking longer than it took a Smeargle's paint to dry.

Ash then blew out a sigh and removed his sunglasses to rub his eyes. He was just about to peek around the corner and holler at her if she was almost finished, when he was suddenly approached by a woman who he guessed to be somewhere in her forties. He froze. Ever since becoming Pokemon Master, public outings were always a tricky thing. And today he wasn't planning on being noticed. Not in a place like this. Dread crawled up his spine at the idea of being recognized even though he thought his disguise for the moment wasn't all that obvious, but apparently he was mistaken.

"Excuse me, are you Ash Ketchum?" asked the lady in a kind voice. She was dressed in a flourescent blouse that matched the lengthy beige skirt she wore, accompanied with a pair of white heels. He could already tell that she was hopeful with her inquiry as well. His shoulders then dropped, never really being one to lie or turn anyone away. He only hoped they wouldn't draw attention.

"Yeah, that's me." he replied in a low voice and smiled politely, folding his glasses over the inside of his shirt.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but my little boy is a big fan of yours, and it would mean so much to him if he could have your autograph."

This perked him up instantly; Ash loved interacting with children. Their innocence and enthusiasm never failed to warm his heart. He nodded right away and smiled, turning himself to the side so he could retrieve a pen from his backpocket.

"Of course, I'd be happy to. Where is he?"

"Right here. Come on, sweetie, he's waiting for you." the lady's son hesitantly appeared from behind his mother, shy but curious. He came up to her waist with a tuft of brown hair and blue eyes, wearing khaki shorts and a black shirt that sported a pokeball on it.

"Hey little man. What's your name?" asked Ash in general interest.

"M-my name is Westley, I went to one of your matches before." his eyes were opening wider as he spoke, in obvious disbelief to be speaking with _the_ Pokemon Master. His mother quickly fished out a piece of paper from her purse while they conversed.

"I cheered for you the whole time!"

"You did?! Well thank you! I'm glad to know that you were rootin' for me. It always helps when I have support from fans like you." Ash grinned in response, silently accepting the paper from the woman. The boy nodded frantically.

"I did! I wanna grow up and be a great pokemon master, just like you."

Ash beamed at the little boy. "You can do it, Westley. The key is to trust your pokemon and treat them with respect, and they'll do the same for you. Remember that anything is possible."

The boy puffed up his chest in pride and Ash felt a genuine sense of flattery. That was when he took the catalogue from earlier for a solid surface and began to scrawl out his name on the pad of paper. But instead of writing out something generic, Ash decided to personalize it a little by adding the boy's name and, ' _Thanks for cheering me on!_ ' next to his signature. With a smile, he returned the paper to his mother who folded the item and placed it in her purse.

That's when Ash noticed the young boy go completely slack jawed as he watched the aftermath of everything that just happened. It was infectious to him, and he was immediately in favor of it. Then it sparked an idea for him and he casted a swift peek around the two of them to make sure there was no one within a range of noticable eyeshot. This usually wasn't something he went out of his way for, but he honestly felt he could do better than just scrawl out a few words for him.

Glancing up at the boy's mother, he quietly spoke. "You know, if you have a camera, I'd be more than happy to take a picture with the little guy."

The woman paused for a moment with her hand in her purse and shot up her eyebrows. Clearly surprised, she responded, "You wouldn't mind?"

Ash genuinely smiled to erase any doubt. "It'd be my pleasure."

She grinned and glanced down at her son. "Would you like that, honey?"

Westley started nodding before his mother could finish asking the question, almost jumping up and down in excitement. "Yes, yes!"

"I guess he would." she laughed before pulling a camera out of her black purse. She frowned for a moment before making the right adjustments to the digital device, then relaxed as she straightened herself back up. Ash took this as his cue to lean forward next to the smaller boy and held up his signature sign with two fingers, smiling widely with one arm around his shoulders. Westley stretched a tiny arm across his back and held up the same pose, positively beaming.

"Alright, here we go," his mother held up the camera to one eye and closed the other. "One... two.. three!"

The faint sound of a click was heard next. And there was no flash, to Ash's relief. A squeal of happiness came from the child beside him a moment later, and he couldn't help but unleash an appreciative laugh. The little boy then leaned over to check the photo as his mother lowered it to him for his viewing. That's when he dropped his mouth and smiled at the same time, stunned what he was seeing.

 _Now_ Ash was satisified of what he was able to do.

"What do you say, Westley?" she prodded her son gently, nodding toward Ash. But the same look was on his face. It took him a moment to properly respond after gazing in amazement at the event that just took place in his presence. His eyes were opened to the fullest now and shining brightly with amazement as if it was Christmas morning and his birthday all at the same time.

"Thanks, mister Ketchum."

At this, Ash raised a hand and waved it with an exaggerated expression. He wouldn't allow anyone to call him that if he could help it.

"Please, call me Ash." he held out his hand with a grin, and Westley wasted no time in shaking it.

"Th-thanks... _Ash_." his voice came out in a dazed breath of air. The little boy was completely awestruck and his idol felt somewhere deep inside that this is what made it all worth it. Not the fame, not the fortune, but seeing how he could brighten up the day of a child just by saying hello, and hearing that they aspired to be like him. Or whatever it was they wanted to be someday. Ash achieved his dream and it inspired others to do the same. It brought him back to his own childhood, and he hoped that he was able to help them get to where they wanted to be in whatever way he could. It was always something that was extremely important to him. As was the feeling of being someone they looked up to, and Ash would do everything to always be that person for them.

But he was shaken from his reverie as the boy's mother spoke again.

"Come on, now, West. We have to be going. Thank you so much, this was all very kind of you." she reached for Ash's hand, and he shook it earnestly.

"No problem at all, it was nice meeting you both. Have a good rest of the day." he smiled and waved them off. He then could hear the faint, excited chatter of the child to his mother about the message Ash wrote him and the picture that came with it. He could see the woman nodding up ahead as well while she fully embraced her son's exhilaration with much of it in return for him. Another feeling of sentiment rose within him as he watched them disappear into the sea of people, lingering in the sense of fulfillment that it also left behind.

All of which was noticed by the redhead he'd been waiting for this whole time.

"You really have a knack for that, you know."

Ash jumped and turned at the sound of noise, unaware that he was being watched. And that's when the vision of his girlfriend came into view; Misty was leaning one shoulder against the door frame that lead into the string of dressing rooms, crossing one long leg over the other. And she was back in the clothes they arrived in, dressed in a pair of white colored jeans and a green dress top. Something that paled in comparison next to the smile on her pretty face. Certainly a vision in her understated beauty, as she always was. And then there was the way she casually announced her presence that she had a knack of her own for.

"Changing people's lives and everything." she went on to say.

He didn't take his eyes off of her as she approached him. And he could feel the lopsided smile on his own face by the time she reached him and eased into his lap, resting one arm across his shoulders while the other cradled the many pieces of clothes she tried on. Ash then responded by loosely draping both of his around her waist and automatically shrugged off such a bold statement.

"I don't know about that."

"I do." she answered. "And I should. I've been there plenty of times to see for myself."

He tilted his head up to her. "You really think so?"

Misty gave a firm nod of confidence. "I know so. That wasn't just a photo and an autograph, Ash. You gave that little boy something to remember. He'll never forget any of this. It's what you do for all of the kids you meet."

Ash tapped his fingers against her hip. "Well.. it feels great to do it, I know that. And I just hope it stays with them. Kids are like sponges at that age.. they absorb everything around them."

"True... and I seem to remember another young boy around that age who was more of a sponge than anyone." she smiled down upon him.

"He absorbed every piece of information and used it to his advantage, using it to be the very best he could be. The rest was already in that crazy head of his to take it from there."

"Were you traveling around with someone else behind my back? Cause that doesn't sound like me at all." Ash glanced at her in modesty and amusement.

But Misty eyed him warily. "Don't give me that casual brushoff nonsense. I hate when you do that. Besides, I have all the proof of it sitting right here. And you know good and well that there's only so much you can do and you're already doing more than enough. Whether it's to make it to the top with the best of intentions," Misty paused and smiled softly.

"Or trying to cast aside everything you know I'm right about."

She lifted his hat slightly to gain a better view of his handsome face. And her pretty porcelain one came into his sights, to which he promptly ducked away from to hide the color rising to his cheeks; Misty was almost famous in her own way for exposing the truth in any way she could. Whether it was something he wanted to hear or not.

But he couldn't hide the dismissive smile that creeped onto his face. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Misty then scowled partway when he didn't say anything after that and pulled her lips to the side. "I mean it. Don't forget that you were one of those kids once, too. Every one of them are going through what you went through when _you_ met someone influential. And look how much of a difference that made."

Ash didn't say anything at first and considered her words. He wanted to believe what she said. It sounded so much nicer coming from her than it did from anyone else, and it all had to do with the fact that she was there to witness everything almost more than anyone he knew. He also couldn't ignore how much of a relief it was for him to know that she thought so highly of him. And it was then that the familiar sensation of warmth came back to him, and his features softened up at the realization. That was something that he appreciated more than life itself, no matter what else was in it; _Her_. Misty was more than half the reason he found himself even able to sign anything for anyone in the first place. If it wasn't for her support, and being the crutch he needed for the times he's fallen over, he'd be in more trouble than he could get himself out of. And he thanked his lucky stars that she was as patient with him as she was. Especially when her blue-green eyes danced with the truth that he was daring to believe.

"A difference, eh?"

"Many differences." confirmed the redhead. She watched as the brightness flashed in his brown eyed gaze again, finding comfort in the fact that it was back where she could see it.

"Well, you know what they say," Ash raised a finger to her chin and cupped it with sincerity. "Behind every great man is a woman who made him that way."

Misty smiled into his words and then rolled her eyes. "And then there's you, giving credit where it doesn't belong. But it's true in the sense that I _am_ behind you every step of the way."

"Pushing me, trying to get me to trip..." Ash tilted his head to the side, eyeing her with a slight grin. Sometimes he just couldn't help himself. And she was fully aware of this as she responded by applying an appropriate swat to his capped head. Ash barked a laugh in his scratchy voice, gazing up at her amused expression afterward.

"Only kiddin', Mist." he flashed a smile at her. "Even though I stand by what I said before."

"Well, I won't deny giving you the occasional nudge every once and a while," Misty reflected with slight sarcasm, but warmed up into it a moment later. "But the rest is all your own doing, like I said. No matter what you say."

She paused again, then picked up the same smile as before. " _Mister_ Ketchum."

Ash bowed his head after a minute and grunted a laugh. "How long have you been standing there, anyway?"

"Long enough."

It was then Ash readjusted his hat and gazed back up at the redheaded beauty in all her lovliness. And it was everything he needed to complete the moment; She looked down at him in return, wearing a confident grin that was laced with adoration. In other words, it was a look that stated how much she knew she was right about their discussion. She was closing her thoughts on something she felt she had one hundred and ten percent certainty on with that look. Which was honestly a look that he recieved very often. But if it was something to ever really throw him off his guard, it was that. Whether Ash expected it from her or not. Misty is and would always be his source of comfort and reassurance. Whatever he didn't have for himself, he found in her. He was strong and weak because of her at the same time.

And he had to be, otherwise there's no way he would've made it through the afternoon.

"You never cease to amaze me." he gently brushed his lips across her cheek in a kiss, then noticed all the clothes dangling from her other arm and weaved his fingers through them.

"Alright, Mist. How many of these did you decide on?"

Misty exhaled before glancing at the bulk of fabrics, almost forgetting they were even there. "Oh, well... none, if you'd believe it. I had a hard time choosing, so I think I'm just going to put these back."

Ash deadpanned.

"None? Misty, there's no way we're leaving here emptyhanded. Not after an hour and a half. Keep those clothes cause we're taking them with us." he patted her twice on the hip for her to stand up so they could make the exit that he so desperately sought.

The redhead just laughed and rose to her feet, clutching the soon-to-be purchased items. There was maybe about a dozen of them she had with her while Ash led her by the hand to the nearest checkout counter. Sounds of the department store filled the area with beeping noises, and chatter that floated over it. A few heads turned in their direction as well but no one said anything. And she had to know that Ash was more than aware of it by now. But it was always something he handled with care, somehow knowing exactly what to say and how to say it. Even if he might not have been planning on it. But he amazed her with the lengths and feats he journeyed to do what he did, no matter how often she might have to convince him of it herself. She knew what she was seeing, and what she saw was a man who was always willing to go the extra mile.

Whether it was for his endless supply of adoring fans, or his number one fan like she knew herself to be.


	2. Count On Me

Description: Pikachu comes to the rescue for Ash, just like always.

* * *

Pikachu liked to think that he was a patient pokemon.

He had all the time and love in the world for those he cared about. He wouldn't hesitate to jump in the line of fire if he needed to, or turn away anyone who required his help. But more often than not he's found himself in one situation or another involving two of the three people that meant the most to him.

"Ash, I'm going to kill you."

There's one now.

"C'mon, Misty, I m sure it's around here somewhere."

And there was the other.

"You do this all the time, I don't even know why I'm surprised this happened!"

He sighed. There was his master, leaning his back into the counter in the kitchen with a very scared and remorseful expression. His face reddened under nervous pressure while his eyes remained wide open and alert. Some of the objects and appliances that rested on the countertop had been shifted aside from their previous positions as well, scattered about and out of place.

And there was Misty, standing about two feet away from him with two clenched fists at her sides. Pikachu couldn't see her face, but he was careful to note that just by what he could see with her back turned that she was in no mood to be trifled with. Pikachu had been in the other room when he heard the shouting, and came scampering over to see what the commotion was about. He also noticed that pieces of her hair were sticking out and drooping out of her ponytail. The pokemon took this as another sign of stress from the problem at hand.

"I didn't mean to, okay?" Ash raised up his hands in surrender. "I swear. And I promise I'll find it."

Misty puffed out an irritated breath and stormed away. The redness seemed to be in her face as well once it came into view, and Pikachu didn't waste another second before jumping out of the way. The angry female could then be heard mumbling under her breath about how "thickheaded" and "utterly scatterbrained" his master was. The tone of her voice wasn't one to be taken in alarm, however. Not to Pikachu. This was almost normal for what he was used to.

Then he heard Ash whistle softly for his attention. The pokemon bounded over to him, ears up and attention casted ahead of him. Ash smiled and stroked his fur. He seemed calmed if only for a moment, then glanced up ahead of him once before back to his friend.

"Do you have it?" he whispered. "I need it soon before she blows the roof off."

Instant relief washed over Pikachu. He had a feeling this might happen. But he nodded, pointing toward the area that lead out of the kitchen. Ash seemed relieved by this as well and glanced back at the same entrance.

"Okay," he whispered again. "Go on and bring it over to me."

Misty could be heard muttering angrily from the other room again as he spoke, and Ash paled considerably. He swallowed.

"And hurry."

Pikachu didn't need a telling twice before he disappeared from sight. Meanwhile, Ash turned back around and began to open the cabinets and move some other things around. He tried to make it look as busy as he possibly could in the short amount of time he had. But it passed impossibly fast, and his nerves shortened by the second.

"Well?" Misty's voice suddenly came from behind him. She was back in the kitchen sooner than he expected, and he almost jumped out of his skin.

"Ah!" Ash exclaimed, nearly bumping into a stack of plates and knocking them over. Misty looked at him wide eyed and stared at him.

"What is _wrong_ with you today?!"

"I-I m sorry, you just startled me. I ll clean it up, okay? I ll clean up everything." he started frantically, then noticed Pikachu was hovering near the kitchen with both paws behind his back.

"I'll- whoa, what s that outside?!" Ash pointed a finger toward the sliding glass door that lead into the backyard.

Misty hadn't noticed this. But she almost looked frightened by his behavior and turned around on instinct at his words. She backed up and placed one hand on the handle of the door and peered out of the glass to find whatever it was that Ash apparently witnessed. Except for the fact that there was nothing she could find.

"What's what? I don t see anything." now Misty opened the door and went as far as to peek outside, putting up her hand to her eyes for better visage. This was when Pikachu silently edged his way into the kitchen and over to Ash, passing him the small item that he requested. He immediately accepted it with a wink, and the pokemon took a step back to give them some space.

"Okay, there's nothing out there." Misty was back inside and closed the door as she spoke. "Seriously, Ash, have you lost your-"

"Hey." he interrupted. She turned around to find him suspiciously at ease now, and holding something up in his hand. Her eyes dropped to it and then back up to his face. She was more confused than ever, but accepted the object that he pressed into her hand with a questionable look on her face. Pikachu was watching with a growing smile on his own face and then chose that moment to exit the kitchen entirely.

"Ash what are you-"

"Open it." he was smiling.

Misty eyed him. Her anger was ebbing away as she glanced down at what she was holding, then flipped open the lid and shrieked in happiness.

"Ash, you found it! You found my wedding ring! Where on earth was it? And why... why is it in a box?"

Ash barked a laugh while she held up the silver band in one hand and the box in the other. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear his obliviousness was rubbing off on her.

"It was never lost, Mist."

She glanced at him in more bewilderment. "What?"

"I had it engraved for our anniversary. If you look inside of it, it says both of our names and the year we got married."

"Wh-what?" this time she asked the question more to herself than to him as she hastily set the box aside and held it up in the light for a better view. And just as he said, their names were written side by side with the year they made it official underneath it. She let out a blissful sigh, placing it back on her ring finger as her eyes became bright.

"Oh Ash..."

He briefly raised his left hand. "I got mine done, too. I asked Pikachu to hold onto it for me until our anniversary. Which is technically tomorrow, but it's okay. I just didn't think you d go this nuts-"

His words were cut off by the rapid movement of Misty bursting forth with an appreciative and loving kiss. Ash stumbled backward slightly in surprise, but caught his footing and deeply chuckled against her lips as he returned the gesture.

Both of his hands were on her waist as they pulled back.

"You idiot, you stupid idiot. I was going crazy. I have half a mind to knock your block off, you know that?" Misty sniffled, smiling through her teary eyes. She had both arms around his neck and admired the ring from over his shoulder.

"I love you, too, Mist." he grinned back at her. He couldn't help but feel the craziness that lead up to this moment was completely worth it.

Misty then laughed quietly before removing herself from him. "I love you, Ash. You know I love you. And I love my ring, it s just beautiful. Thank you."

Ash watched her with all the fondness in the world as she raised a single finger to her eyes to remove the moisture forming there. But it was proving to be more than she could literally banish singlehandedly, glancing around for a tissue that wasn't nearby.

"Let me go take care of this. I'll be right back." she smiled in slight embarrassment and squeezed his hand, then departed after Ash gave a nod.

He whistled again after a moment of her absence. Pikachu came scurrying into the kitchen once again, happy that everything turned out okay.

Ash knelt down to his friend. "Thanks alot, pal. You really helped me out with this. I probably would've lost it for real if I was the one to hide it."

He reached out a hand and stroked his fur. Pikachu chattered in affection and purred. Of course, he was happy to do it. He'd help Ash with anything he needed. And Misty, too. Both of them meant the world to him. It always made him happy to see them happy. Anything but fighting, as normal as it was. But they always ended in the same way. And he would do anything he could to make sure that they did, no matter what that meant. He would always be there for them.

Ash smiled softly while these thoughts just happened to be going through his pokemon's mind.

"I can always count on you."

* * *

A/N: This story and the next one were both submissions of mine on Tumblr for Pokeshipping Week of last year, and I'm just now getting around to posting them. Hope you guys like 'em!


	3. Catch of the Day

Description: Ash and Misty recount the story of how the two of them met.

* * *

"There we were, running for our lives. Me and Pikachu didn't think we'd make it. A hoard of ferocious pokemon chased us right into this incredible storm after a while- I almost couldn't see where I was going after it started. It happened that quickly."

Orange flames flickered in the fireplace that Ash sat next to, lighting up his face as he spoke. It bounced off of his features in a warm glow while he recalled the memory out loud.

"We ran as far as we could. We were in alot of trouble, you see, running from these wild pokemon. Oh yeah. They were after us, all of them. But I ran. I ran _fast_. And I had no idea where I was even going."

He raised his hands dramatically while Pikachu lazily twitched an ear in response. Giggling could be heard in the background, fueling the nature of Ash's storytelling.

"Then we came to a dead end. I thought that was it for us. Pikachu was injured pretty bad, and I didn't know what to do. But there was the biggest cliff right in front of me, and do you know what I did? That's right. I jumped right off of that cliff.

"Pika." the pokemon grunted.

"Er, with Pikachu, too, of course."

The pokemon twitched another ear from where he lay and grinned. Ash then returned his attention back to where it was before, leaning in with a wide pair of excited eyes.

"So there we were again, but our quest wasn't over. Oh no. It turned out that Pikachu and I fell right into the deadliest current of water imaginable. Pokemon surrounded us from every angle. Some of the biggest I've ever seen, and they swam right past us. Especially this giant Gyarados. Almost took me in one clean bite. And-"

"Ash Ketchum!"

He jumped next to the fireplace that he'd been sitting next to. Sparks fizzled from the log it fell on, now lighting up the startled expression on his face while he reached a hand back to steady himself from falling over.

"What?!"

Misty pinched her lips together, looking very much like the angry Gyarados in his story while the same flames danced in shadows around her. "If you're going to tell this, tell it right."

He blinked. "I was!"

"No," she crossed her arms. "You're embellishing. Although I don't know why I'm surprised."

"Embellishing?"

Misty sighed softly. More giggling. "Yes, Ash. Stretching the truth."

"I wasn't stretching the truth that's what happened. I jumped off the cliff with Pikachu and swam like no tomorrow."

She lifted an eyebrow. "And Gyarados?"

"What about Gyarados?"

"You said it tried to eat you."

"It came at me with its mouth open!"

"Its mouth is always open!"

"Yeah, well you didn't see the way it was looking at me."

The redhead rolled her eyes while Ash pouted. It was a look that was never far from the eye, always seemingly present in one way or another. But the look on her face had a way of pointing the finger at him for it. Try as he might, there was very little he was ever able to really get away with.

And he relented. "Okay, fine. Then you tell it."

"Fine then, I will."

Misty straightened up in her sitting position.

"Alright, so that's where I came in. Because I just happened to be along somewhere on the other side of that cliff. There was a pretty big rock I came across and decided it would be perfect for fishing that day. So that's what I did. Which I had done plenty of times before, mind you. I was no stranger to it."

Misty absentmindedly stroked Pikachu's fur as she spoke.

"But this time was different. Much, much different. I was expecting maybe a Magikarp. A Goldeen, if I was lucky. Or a Staryu. Gosh, maybe even a Dratini you know, I always loved Dragonair. They re just so beautiful and mystical, and I was really hoping that-"

"Mist?"

"What? Oh. Right anyway."

Misty cleared her throat while Ash hid a grin.

"Anyway, I was sitting there with my fishing pole, peaceful as I could hope it to be. It was quiet and everything. Then a few bubbles rose from the water, and that only meant one thing: I had a bite. And I thought right away that it was going to be a big one, so I started to pull as hard as I could. I was trying to reel it in so much that my sneakers were skidding on the rock."

"And then " Misty inhaled and grinned. "Well, it wasn t Dratini. Or Goldeen. Not even Staryu or Magikarp. It wasn t even a pokemon at all."

Ash was then pointed at, and a gasp filled the room.

"That's right. And I couldn't have been more surprised, I tell you. All day long out there on that rock, and that's what happened. It's a good thing I knew what I was doing."

"Wow " came the third voice in the room. It was filled with utter astonishment and wonder, trailing off in a near whisper that hung in the air.

"So that's how you and dad met?"

There was a pause for the moment while the information had a chance to sink in. Ash and Misty exchanged a glance; Both wore a smile of mutual fondness, features relaxed into one of nostalgic happiness. They could almost see the memories flashing behind the other one's eyes. And it hardly seemed to either one of them that so much time had passed since then. Even though retelling it now after so many years had a way of making them feel like they were experiencing it themselves for the first time all over again.

But it was Misty who eventually nodded once she looked away.

"That's right. I remember like it was yesterday."

"How do you remember it, mom?" the young child clutched her stuffed Dragonite in her lap.

"Well, let's see " Misty tilted up her head slightly. "I was with your aunts that morning. We were back at the gym, tidying up, and we had a little talk."

Ash caught Misty's eye in a mischieveous glint as she said that. He knew too well in her words that she had meant blowout argument by them. And it was something he only had a glimpse into on his first encounter with her sisters, which was enough for him to know to that it qualified as a disagreement. But the warning look in her eye silenced him from saying anything about it.

"About what?" their daughter innocently questioned her. Ash smirked.

But Misty gracefully continued. "Mostly about how I was ready to start my journey to become a water pokemon master and explore different places. It was just something I woke up with that morning. I came to them with the idea, and that was that. I left that same day."

"How old were you?"

She smiled at their daughter. "I was ten. Same age as your father."

"What happened after that?"

Ash suddenly laughed into the air while Misty expressed a tired smile. Both of them were exhausted.

"I think that's enough questions for tonight, little lady. Ash gently eased a hand through his nine year old's hair. But she only looked up to him, blinking her blue eyes at him in the way she knew was a weakness of his.

"Aw, dad, c'mon.. please?" she clutched her Dragonite extra tight for effect. And her father looked to be on the verge of caving, but was rescued by the strength of Misty's resolve.

"Tomorrow, sweetheart. It's late enough as it is and you still have to change." she nodded toward the stairs. She had one hand on the ground to support her weight, tilting her head onto her shoulder.

"Go ahead and get into your pajamas. Your dad and I will be there in a minute to tuck you in to say goodnight."

The little girl expressed a frown of sorts. But she obediently rose to her feet, letting the stuffed pokemon dangle from one hand. She knew better than to test her mother's patience.

"Oh.. alright. But I liked the story, and I think it's my new favorite one."

"Really now?" asked Ash through an arch of his eyebrows. "More than Stella Lunatone?"

She nodded frantically, her hair bobbing back and forth. "It's a real one. You didn't have to make it up this time."

Then she shrugged. "I just think it's pretty great is all, cause meeting someone like that obviously has to mean something."

Ash and Misty traded another glance. Misty was smiling, and she could see Ash's smile in his eyes. Everything about that day was relevant in some way or another. And it was just as present to their very perceptive child as it was to them.

"She's got us there." Misty spoke quietly as she casually covered his hand with her own. Ash blinked and turned it over, curling his fingers around her slender ones.

"She does. It's not everyday that you pull someone out of the river that you spend the rest of your life with." he raised her hand up to his face and kissed the back of it.

"Ugh." their pink haired child exclaimed, having been witness to it all, and rolled her tongue to the side of her mouth.

"That does it for me. I'm outta here."

Ash and Misty turned to their daughter in time to see her shake her head, and laughed as she headed for the stairs. The soft sounds of her thudding footsteps could be heard as she scampered away. The fire in the fireplace was now almost completely gone as well, save for the few sparkling embers that resided at the bottom. It was a nice piece of background noise to fill the momentary silence as the night came to an end.

"We did good, Ash." Misty mumbled as they watched her climb the stairs into her bedroom. She then slowly leaned into his chest, then craned her neck around to meet his gaze once again.

"And she's definitely got your pout."

Ash grunted a laugh and dropped his head, not really able to argue with that. But he was able to follow it up with something he felt she couldn't deny either.

"She's got your clever mind."

Misty smiled away from his view. This time it were his hands that she pulled up to her face and kissed. She couldn't help but reel in the truth, so to speak, of their daughter's comprehension about the both of them. The way it happened was special and different. Real, like she said. It worked in the best way it could. And it wasn't just something she believed, but it was shared among the three of them.

"You got me there."


End file.
